Shaw Industries attains carbon neutrality

Shaw Industries has attained carbon neutrality in its commercial carpet manufacturing operations. The achievement encompasses all commercial carpet manufacturing facilities Shaw owns and operates globally, including those for Patcraft, Philadelphia Commercial, Shaw Contract and STS. This was done by reducing energy consumption and switching to cleaner fuels.

“At Shaw, we believe in creating a better future. We understand the challenges of climate change are global in scale and require a global response. No one company can solve problems at this scale by itself, but we can each contribute to an effort that enables all of us to create a wave of change for the better,” notes Tim Conway, vice president of sustainability for Shaw’s commercial division. “What we manufacture and the spaces our clients design make an impact. By reducing Shaw’s carbon footprint, we reduce the impact of what we create together.”

Shaw achieved carbon neutrality across its commercial carpet operations by first reducing its energy consumption, then switching to cleaner fuels; producing renewable energy at its own facilities; and incentivising additional renewable energy development and usage through the purchase of renewable energy credits. These efforts include installing a one MW solar array atop its carpet tile manufacturing facility in Cartersville in 2013.

Companywide, Shaw’s greenhouse gas emissions have improved approximately 25 per cent compared to 2010 and the company has a target of reducing both the amount of energy it uses and the amount of GHG emissions it produces by 40 per cent by 2030 (per pound of finished product).

“This is just one of a series of actions we have taken and will continue to take in line with our overall sustainability strategy and corporate vision,” states Troy Virgo, director of sustainability and product stewardship at Shaw. “We all have an important role in creating a better future, and with every decision, every thought and every action, we’re working toward even better solutions. The steps we take matter for people and the planet.